To evaluate the long-term growth potential of BCR-ABL-transduced primitive human hematopoietic cells, lin- cord blood cells containing an MSCV-BCR-ABL-IRES-GFP (BCR-ABL) or control-GFP transgene (MIG) were injected IP into fetal goats at 45-55 days of gestation. Six transplant goats were born alive. One was examined three weeks after birth and showed GFP+ cells in the blood, bone marrow (BM), liver, kidney, lung, heart, and both skeletal and smooth muscle. FISH analysis also showed the liver of this goat contained BCR-ABL-GFP transgenic cells. The remaining five goats appear normal although, in some, the WBC count is elevated 3- to 5-fold. GFP+ cells, including cells identifiable by FACS as human CD34+ cells, have been detected in the blood of all these goats. The presence of BCR-ABL-GFP transgenic cells in the BM and liver was confirmed by FISH analysis, and quantitative real-time PCR analysis of genomic DNA isolated from unpurified BM cells obtained from three of the transplant goats demonstrated 3-5×104 copies of the transgene per microgram of DNA. Microarray transcript profiling was performed on blood and liver tissues of normal goats, BCR-ABL chimeric goats, MIG chimeric goats, and normal human samples. RNA for human genes was detected in goats transplanted with cord blood cells but not in normal goats, and the RNA abundance of some genes in BCR-ABL chimeric goat blood was similar to or greater than levels observed in MIG goat blood or normal human samples. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the differential expression of several genes in goats carrying the BCR-ABL vs. control transgene. These results demonstrate long-term engraftment but slow expansion in a large animal model of primitive human hematopoietic cells transduced with a BCR-ABL fusion gene and transplanted in utero. This novel xenotransplant goat model should be useful for analyzing the initial phases of development of human CML and for assessing new therapies with potential long-term benefits. Experiment Overall Design: Total RNA was extracted from liver (L) and blood (B) samples of normal goats (ng), humans (hu), chimeric goats engrafted with human cord blood stem cells containing control (mig) vector, and chimeric goats engrafted with CML (bcrabl) vector. RNA samples were profiled on Affymetrix human U133A GeneChips and examined for differentially expressed genes in CML vs control goats, filtering for signals significantly above background levels observed in normal goat to select for specific human gene expression.